7 August 2008

Stories from 7 August 2008

Cuba: Role of the Media

  7 August 2008

As one Havana-based blogger, Circles Robinson, is optimistic about Cuban media charting a new course, another, Yoani Sanchez, criticizes the media's complacency in reporting on issues like domestic violence: “How can a woman, who flees home to avoid the fists of her husband, know how to find a refuge where...

Barbados, Jamaica: Nice Is as Nice Does

  7 August 2008

Living in Barbados maintains that the Smile Barbados campaign, aimed at “encouraging people to show greater respect for each other” is a failure – and goes on to relate his experiences at the airport, “which is the first and last port of call for many visitors. It's where…good and bad...

Armenia: Blogger Interviews Acting U.S. Ambassador

  7 August 2008

Blogian interviews the acting U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, Chargé d’Affaires Joseph Pennington. In an extended entry, the blog details some of the main points from the interview which includes reference to Armenian-Turkish relations, the post-election situation in the country and a recent visit by Pennington and his wife, The Economist's...

Guyana: For the Record

  7 August 2008

Signifyin’ Guyana supports the call for the government to publish a collection of the speeches of the country's first Executive President, Forbes Burnham: “They are a valuable part of Guyana's history and should be treated as such.”

Korea: Threatening Books and Their Popularity

  7 August 2008

Several days ago, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) in Korea categorized 23 books as threatening books and decided to forbid those books in libraries in the army units because they could ruin soldiers’ minds. Since the announcement, it led to an interesting reaction – sales of those books have...

North Caucasus: Persecution of Journalists

  7 August 2008

Dzutsev's Weblog reports that Rosa Malsagova, editor of an Ingush news web site, has had to leave Russia because of alleged political persecution. The blog says that killings of civilians and police happen on an almost daily basis because of the colonial policies of the Russian authorities.

Japan: Atomic Bombing Anniversary

  7 August 2008

Yesterday was the the anniversary of the atomic bombing in Japan, Tokyogenso expresses hope for world peace. Martin from Kurashi quotes from the NHK documentary about the effects of atomic bomb to the victims.

Slovenia: Relaxation and History

  7 August 2008

Una española/gallega en Eslovenia [Spanish] describes a visit to the Topolšica spa in Slovenia, where the surrender of the German troups occupying the region was signed in 1945, ending the nazi presence in that part of Europe.

Russia: Corporate Raiding

  7 August 2008

Robert Amsterdam posts a video of a phenomenon that has become commonplace in Russian business in the last 15 years: corporate raiding or hostile takeovers of companies by violent means.